CyberFair Project ID: 6695

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Sanyi Duck Factory-traditional and creative
Category: 3. Business and Community Organizations
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2011/gsh6695/
Bibliography: http://www.dp-duckdiy.com.tw/

School: Yuming Vocational High School of Industry & Home E
    Miaoli City, Taiwan, R.O,C Taiwan

7 students, ages 17-18 years worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 22, 2011. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2008,2009,2011

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Wen-ci Liu ,Mr. Chien-Lin Chan,Ms. Yu-Ping Wei and Ms.Yih-Chiou Sher

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.ymvs.mlc.edu.tw/

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Camphor trees used to be a dominant sight on the slopes in Sanyi; the township’s highly prestigious woodcarving trade counted on this heavily scented wood for its chief material. Not only is woodcarving passed down from generation to generation in Sanyi, but it also is adopted by the farmers as a sideline. Sanyi Duck Factory dates back to the Japanese colonial period. In a die-hard spirit at the start-up stage, its founders managed to survive dismal sales by continuously training its staff, emulating the practices of competitors, and making innovations. Those efforts are bearing fruits today. Thanks to the improvement in both woodcarving skills and the quality of life nationwide, Sanyi’s wooden craftworks became highly valued, as if they were expensive jewelry. It was no coincidence that stores decorated with woodcarvings sprang up along the street, with many such streets merged into the Sanyi carving specialty zone. Sanyi woodcarving, no longer just a household sideline, is now performed by professionals in a corporate business model. That explains why so many small factories have emerged across Sanyi, where literally every household is engaged in something related to woodcarving, hence the worldwide reputation as “The carving specialty zone” and “The carving hub of Taiwan”.

2. Summary of Our Project

Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory was founded in 1963 as a manufacturer of carved wooden human figures, ducks and waterfowls; these creations received much favorable attention in the U.S., Japan and across Europe. The changes in global economic conditions in recent years, however, forced Twin Peaks to revamp its business operations. Under the auspices of Taiwan’s prestigious Kuan-Shu Educational Foundation, Twin Peaks renovated its 8265 m2 manufacturing facility in 2002 as part of a renewal program. The new factory, with its elegant ambiance, provides a perfect venue not only for casual gatherings among colleagues or club/family members, but also for school excursions. It is a must-visit stop on the pilgrimage to Sanyi, a name synonymous with woodcarvings.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The problems we had made and overcame were: 1. Data collection: in the process of collected data, the greatest problem we faced was that, when the project began, the participating students did not have the slightest idea of what kind of information they needed. Fortunately, the teachers called a meeting where the participants decided to focus on corporate culture as well as the local cultural industry. 2. Data analysis: It was a huge challenge for us to systematically compile and present the collected information online using statistical tables/charts. Fortunately, all of the members did their best to follow the teachers’ instructions and fulfill the respective responsibilities as required. 3. Website building skills: In order to achieve a higher quality for the website and create aesthetic oneness, instructions from advisors were necessary for building an interactive website or make some of the images. 4.Project scheduling: To avoid disturbing the study routines, the members met and constructed the website during lunch breaks, extracurricular hours, or the period of time designated for class/weekly school meetings. We used online correspondences to work on the project website after school, in order to solve scheduling problems. 5.Project progress control: The lack of experience left us bewildered in the early stage as to the overall website layout or progress control. Thanks to the support and supervision by advisors, we finished the respective tasks on time. 6.Commute problems: The commute to and from school or other locations required for the research project, became a huge problem for project members who live in different parts of Miaoli County. We had to either take a bus or ask the teachers for a ride whenever we went to school (to work on the website on holidays), conducted on-site interviews or went downtown for the questionnaire-based survey.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

The fruitful participation in Cyberfair gave me an opportunity to broaden my horizon and make friends with senior students. There are so many memorable tidbits related to the project. As a participant in Cyberfair, I feel as if I had embarked on a journey of learning: learning about website building, team spirit and how to get along with others. The event encouraged me to solve disagreements arising among teammates using appropriate information, data and methods. Cyberfair brought personal growth to all of the participants; we jointly accomplished a project despite the varying opinions along the process.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

Having started out as a traditional woodcarving plant, Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory is moving toward a culture and creative business that produces 3-dimensional wooden ducks/ waterfowls, besides a wide range of flora and fauna species indigenous or unique to Taiwan. It vows to incorporate the distinctive pattern of Miaoli’s tourism into its operations, in order to build a culture-based recreational facility that promotes a “one-stop tour” in association with recreational sites across Miaoli. For the Cyberfair project, we adopted computer technologies to present local culture and related know-how on the website. Internet technologies were used to underscore the artistic heritage of woodcarving and its distinctiveness. Working on the Cyberfair project, the members were able to learn about the division of labor, and how to search/ compile information and systematically create a website. During the process, it was realized that each participant is an integral part of the project, however small a component he/she may be. It also is imperative that every member finish the tasks on time, to prevent progress from stalling. The Cyberfair project gave us insights into a local enterprise. It subsequently urged us to cherish and step up effort to ensure the survival of local industries.

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Project Elements

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

Since all the project participants have computers with ADSL connection at home, students used the school’s online hard drive and instant messaging software for project-related correspondence with teammates after school. Moreover, all of the team members had previously taken a website-related course, but in order to achieve a higher quality for the website and create aesthetic oneness, instructions from advisors were necessary for building an interactive website or make some of the images. Although all of the members held high expectations for the Cyberfair project website, the lack of experience left us bewildered in the early stage as to the overall website layout or progress control. The most helpful technologies are the support and supervision by advisors, teachers and interviewees for the respective tasks can be on time.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

Each Yuming student participating in the Cyberfair project is a community ambassador that introduces the distinctiveculture of his/her neighborhood to people around the world. As an embassadors, we promoting the woodcarving art unique to Miaoli’s Sanyi area through Cyberfair. To keep alive the woodcarving heritage unique to Miaoli’s Sanyi area and develop it into a unique local culture, we collected a lot of literature in relevant fields, interviewed the factory managers and visited their manufacturing facilities. The promotional content on Cyberfair website is expected to give the general public insights into Sanyi’s woodcarving culture and help people in Miaoli identify with their heritage. That way, this unique trade will be preserved and thrive for generations to come. We also promoting the local arts and culture. In order to carry on the local arts and culture, it almost always takes a considerable amount of government support in personnel or other resources to launch educational/promotional campaigns. Therefore a school-built website is a helpful tool that not only introduces the local heritage to people worldwide, but also enables students across Miaoli country to understand and identify with their folk culture.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

From this project people will get idea of knowing that “Sanyi Duck Factory-Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory” is a combination of enterprises and local community. We decided to conduct a project with the theme of “local enterprises” and chose to study “Sanyi Duck Factory-Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory”, which was transformed from a typical Sanyi woodcarving plant into a tourism-oriented factory. Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory registered great success in incorporating the modern trend of DIY activities into Miaoli’s woodcarving trade. It sets an example for the current small- and medium-enterprises with its capability to carry on traditional craftsmanship while adopting an innovative business model. People all around who are interested in woodcarvings and tourists will connect with our Web site to get correct and complete information about Sanyi Duck Factory-Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory. These information are about the history of Wooden Duck Factory,what are the original point of viws of owns established their goals and how Wooden Duck Factory goes in the future. People also will know they are not for woodcarving only in Wooden Duck Factory, but also can see something important in the showroom; have fun and DIY in painting classroom, enjoy drinking coffee /tea and have something to eat in coffee house as well as have fun in the lawns. Connect with our Web sit, there is no distance limitaion. In other words, viewers can see clearly and easliy about how Sanyi Duck Factory-Twin Peaks Wooden Duck Factory works. Web surfing visit will be exactly the same as on-site visiting.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

For the Cyberfair project, we interviewed Tang Ri-yao, Tang Ri-cai and his wife at the Sanyi Duck Factory. The information collected was reviewed and categorized at school, with general principles derived from it, and then summarized. Some of the texts were provided by Tang Yao-sheng. Our photographs were either taken during interviews at Sanyi Duck Factory or provided by Tang Yao-sheng. They were not posted on the website until approved by Sanyi Duck Factory. In a bid to complete the website structure with additional content, some photographs of project-related activities found on the website were taken by the members using digital cameras, hence the protection of intellectual property rights. Moreover, we thank our advisors Liu Wen-ci and Zhan Qian-lin who Hold team meetings; analyze and derive general principles from data collected; review the project name and content; give advice regarding computer technology; examine the project website; and give instructions for the questionnaire-based survey and the ensuing statistical analysis. Also we appreciated Mr. Wen who is our neighbor and offer driving services. Finally, we thank the on-site interviews and visits paid to Sanyi Duck Factory enabled each and every participant in this project to delve further into the art of traditional woodcarving while contemplating the significance of culture heritage.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

The determination to face and solve problems was something utterly distinctive we found about the management team at Sanyi Duck Factory during the interviews. Such a determined attitude led to the factory’s successful transformation and the subsequent adoption of an innovative business model. It also is the same attitude promulgated by the Yuming teachers: a healthy attitude toward both learning and work While working on the project, we had quite a few setbacks and learned our lessons accordingly. The issues which emerged involved the questionnaire items, the compilation and editing of data collected, technical problems related to website building, people who refused to be surveyed, and difficulties in scheduling. These challenges, nevertheless, made us realize that it is impossible to attain any achievement without a preconceived, comprehensive plan, well-coordinated teamwork and mutual support. Despite the numerous problems, we never lost our confidence. Instead, the troubles forced everyone to be more involved in the project, to eagerly assist those in different groups with newly acquired communication and coordination skills, and to be assertive while showing respect for others. By participating in this project, we realized that teamwork is more efficient than individual effort, and that time management is important, too. The project familiarized us with Taiwan’s woodcarving heritage. It also impressed us with the eager pursuit of innovation and uncompromised ideals of an enterprise.

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